The latest crime statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS) reveal that 4 778 carjackings took place in the most recent three-month period. Although this is a 12.3% decline compared to the previous year, it still amounts to about 50 cases of hijackings a day, which is very alarming.
Hijacking remains a great concern in South Africa, and it’s important to keep up with the trends and know what to expect. In today’s article, we give you recent hijacking stats as well as emerging trends, and also highlight the difference a car tracking device can make.
The SAPS' second-quarter (2024/2025) crime statistics indicate a decrease in hijacking cases. But it doesn’t mean you’re out of harm's way because the numbers are still high, with some areas having higher hijacking rates than others and some emerging as high-risk zones.
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape remain among the top three provinces with the highest hijacking rates. The real shocker in recent statistics is the fact that the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga have now emerged as new high-risk provinces.
The hotspots for each of these provinces are as follows:
Between January and March 2025, the top targeted vehicle types were sedans, hatchbacks, and coupes, amounting to 44% of all hijackings. Bakkies and panel vans came in second, amounting to 33.1% of all hijackings. SUVs and station wagons made up 7.5% of all hijackings, putting them in third place.
The rise in delivery services has resulted in bike hijackings showing an over 20% increase, with criminals luring delivery drivers with fake orders.
Trucks over 3500kg are also among new hijacking targets because of the valuable cargo they often carry and their use in other criminal activities.
The common hijacking tactics you should be aware of include:
Criminals are constantly trying to find better ways to target people, and knowing how these common tactics work can help you avoid falling victim.
Here’s how they work:
This is when criminals go into slow-moving traffic or busy intersections knowing that victims will have no chance to speed off or change lanes. The thieves box in the targeted car by stopping in front of or behind the driver.
In this case of world-class acting, thieves usually stage an injury or a breakdown in the middle of the road, prompting you to stop and help. Once you get out of the car, they forcefully take control of your car.
This is also known as the driveway method, where criminals target drive-throughs, toll gates, and driveways. One car will pull in front of your car while another goes behind, once again “boxing” you in.
The tap-tap method refers to when criminals slightly bump your car, often at a stop sign or traffic light, making it look like a minor accident and prompting you to step out and assess the situation. Once you get out, they’ll overpower you and take the vehicle.
Cartrack is a leading vehicle tracking service provider. Our solutions are specifically designed to help you in hijacking situations, ensuring you get quick help and can get your car back. Our top solutions for hijackings include:
Here’s how they work:
At Cartrack, we offer one of the best Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) services at an affordable price. We’ve got a 24 hr control room service that is always ready for your call and skilled recovery teams that are available nationwide, ensuring that we find your vehicle wherever it goes. Over the past ten years, we’ve conducted over 100 000 vehicle recoveries, proving our dedication towards combating this vicious crime.
The Road Vision camera is a front-facing dashcam that gives you a full record of everything that happens in front of you while you drive. This can serve as evidence of the incident, helping you identify things like the licence plates of the perpetrators as well as their faces.
As hijacking is also a very traumatic experience, some people tend to forget the sequence of events when it’s time to give a police statement. Having a dashcam helps you recall everything and show the police, as you’ll have the footage on our cloud storage platform.
As an additional safety measure, our Road Vision camera also has what we call an “action button” that you can press to silently call for help in emergencies. This helps you call for help as soon as you suspect that you’re about to be hijacked.
Since hijackers crash into you or bump into things while trying to get away, our Crash Detection solution might help. This is a value-added service where we can detect impact on your vehicle. We’ll then contact you or your loved one to find out the kind of help you need, then send it through.
On July 3rd 2025, Cartrack’s Recovery Team was in search of a missing truck. One of our clients reported to us that they couldn’t get a hold of the driver and had suspicions. Our recovery team followed location updates, which led them to the N3 highway. They spotted two trucks fitting the description and pulled them over.
It was then confirmed that the reported vehicle was hijacked on the R21 highway. Both trucks were carrying copper of an estimated value of 13 million rand. The vehicles were safely recovered, and two suspects were apprehended and taken to the Bedfordview SAPS.
Crime evolves with time, and hijacking remains a great concern in South Africa. It’s important that you stay updated with the latest vehicle theft trends and also invest in technology that will help you in those situations. By partnering with us, you increase the chance of vehicle recovery, as well as your safety while you drive. So contact us, and protect your car today!
Learn the latest hijacking trends, common tactics, and how Cartrack’s safety tools can help protect you and your vehicle.
